Walker has met frequently with business interests, donors

Talk about it

You don’t have to be a campaign donor to get face-time with the governor, but it doesn’t hurt, according to a review by the Wisconsin Center for Investigative Journalism.

The Madison-based center found that over 130 companies appeared on Gov. Scott Walker’s official calendars during his term. Of those, Walker received campaign money from employees or political action committees in over half those firms.

Three-fourths of those firms gave Walker over $20,000, while the rest gave less.

Walker spokesman Cullen Werwie says the Republican governor’s schedule reflects his priorities for expanding jobs.

There are conflicting opinions about whether those who get access are buying influence.

UW-La Crosse professor Joe Heim noted that Walker promised nothing in the controversial phone call a year ago from a blogger who pretended to be billionaire businessman David Koch. Heim said the journalism center found that two-thirds of executives who spoke to Walker had not given money to his campaign.

“You can have access to the governor without contributing,” Heim said. Mike McCabe of the Wisconsin Democracy Campaign disagrees. He says business involvement with the governor is often hidden by outside special interests. McCabe says it’s guaranteed that the center’s numbers underestimate the companies’ involvement.

Tags: news, wisconsin, politics